The People's History & the Cold War

[Ian Livingston]

I think it rather interesting that the harshest criticism comes from
Harvard, a bastion of conservative elitism. Also, I think it is
interesting that the negative criticism focuses most on the book not
being what Zinn explicitly says it is not: centrist history. He is
providing a framework by which to fill in what is left out of the
histories students of my era and loca read for class. I rather enjoy
his style, which is very lively, after the fashion of the Durants and
a handful of other lefties I've read over the years. If he's a hack
and a crank, the world needs more hacks and cranks to document what
the cautious effetes gloss over.

On Mon, Dec 19, 2011 at 7:41 PM, Richard Fiero <rfiero at gmail.com> wrote:
> If one only likes official history written by the winners, one may not like
> Thomas Pynchon
>
>
> Michael Bailey wrote:
>>
>> Paul Mackin wrote:
>> >
>> > I've never read it but here's Wikipedia's take on People History . . .
>> >
>> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_People%27s_History_of_the_United_States
>> >
>> > Most of the criticism from historians is pretty negative.
>> >
>>
>> at least they don't accuse him of mistakes of fact. and even the
>> harshest critics have some kind words for him.
>>
>> I haven't read _People's History_ either, and I'm not sure when I'll
>> have the time.
>>
>> Haven't even finished _Typee_ yet...but forging ahead slowly!
>
>



-- 
"Less than any man have I  excuse for prejudice; and I feel for all
creeds the warm sympathy of one who has come to learn that even the
trust in reason is a precarious faith, and that we are all fragments
of darkness groping for the sun. I know no more about the ultimates
than the simplest urchin in the streets." -- Will Durant